Legislation -
Bill Passed
(House)
(68-50) -
May 31, 2012(Key vote)

Vote Result

Yea Votes

Nay Votes

Vote to pass a bill that authorizes the award of sentence credit for various inmate activities through the Department of Corrections' early release program.

Highlights:

Authorizes the award of sentence credit through the Department of Corrections’ early release program for certain inmate activities including, but not limited to, the following (Sec. 5):

Successful completion of a behavior modification program, a life skills course, or a substance abuse program while incarcerated; or

Service to the correctional institution, a community, or the state.

Authorizes the award of 60 days of sentence credit to any inmate who passes the high school level test of General Educational Development (GED) during incarceration or pre-trial detention (Sec. 5).

Authorizes the award of sentence credit to an inmate who was held in pre-trial detention prior to incarceration and successfully completed one of the following programs (Sec. 5):

A full-time, 60 day or longer substance abuse program;

An educational program;

A behavior modification program;

A life skills course; or

Re-entry planning provided by the Department of Corrections or a county jail.

Specifies that sentence credit awarded to an inmate who was held in pre-trial detention will be calculated during the inmate’s sentencing, and that the credit will be used to reduce the number of days that the inmate will be incarcerated (Sec. 5).

Prohibits an inmate who is serving a term for first degree murder or for terrorism from receiving sentence credit through the early release program (Sec. 5).

Limits an inmate who is serving a sentence for any of the following crimes to no more than 4.5 days of sentence credit per month (Sec. 5):

An attempt to commit first degree murder;

Aggravated sexual assault;

Aggravated kidnapping; or

Solicitation of murder.

Limits an inmate who is serving a sentence for any of the following crimes to no more than 7.5 days of sentence credit per month (Sec. 5):

Controlled substance trafficking;

Possession of a controlled substance with intent to manufacture that substance; or

Delivery of a controlled substance.

Limits an inmate who is serving a sentence for any of the following crimes to no more than 90 days of sentence credit (Sec. 5):

Reckless homicide while under the influence of alcohol or any other drug;

Aggravated kidnapping;

Child pornography; or

Predatory sexual assault of a child.

Authorizes the award of up to 180 days of sentence credit to inmates who demonstrate good conduct including, but not limited to, the following (Sec. 5):

Compliance with rules and regulations of the Department of Corrections;